24 Inch (.61 meter) Telescope for Connecticut Wesleyan University

In 1971, Van Vleck Observatory acquired the 24-inch (0.06 meter) Perkin reflector telescope. Boller and Chivens, a subsidiary of the Perkin-Elmer Corporation, manufactured the 24-inch telescope for Mr. Richard S. Perkin in 1966. After Mr. Richard S. Perkin’s death in 1969, the Perkin family donated the telescope to Wesleyan University.

One Response to 24 Inch (.61 meter) Telescope for Connecticut Wesleyan University

John GrieseJune 25, 2012

Mr. Perkin was our neighbor in New Canaan, CT and was my first mentor in astronomy. This telescope was also my first introduction to large telescopes. I was a young boy when Mr. Perkin became my mentor. I have photos of this telescope as it was in New Canaan and was there when the people from Ash Dome came to dismantle and remove the dome. Many years later, I became a paid observer on this telescope at Wesleyan. This telescope and Mr. Perkin were instrumental in launching my career in astronomy. I now have a Master of Astronomy degree and am working on a PhD in the history of astronomy and astrophysics. Mr. Perkin and this telescope will always have a special place in my heart.